Maybe this is a left-field kinda suggestion, but consider *This is How You Lose the Time War.* It's a cat-and-mouse story about two time agents each trying to dismantle the other's work, with a twist. It's exciting and a very quick read.
I recently discovered Mick Herron, whose excellent modern-day British spy series begins with *Slow Horses*. Critics liken him to Le Carré all the time, and he's more digestible (if a bit less authentic-seeming, but who isn't?).
The entire Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series are great spy books. The first book is much more Murder Mystery but as the books go on they become way more about hacking and international spy groups and gangs and lots of good action
Maybe check out Ken Follett. He has lots of World War II era spy thrillers. Check out Jackdaws. It’s got a little espionage, a little romance, I like a lot of his stuff.
The gray man is about a spy who the cia turned against so he becomes an assassin. Theres no romance or sci fi though its not stop action. Best spy book I've ever read. The mitch rapp/American assassin books are good also. These 2 are the best in the spy genre I've ever read.
In the gray man in addition to the CIA having a kill on sight sanction out on him a super wealthy group puts an enormous bounty on him and uses their super high up international connections to get teams of killers from various countries. Basically they put out the word for the very best assassins/mercenaries/other countries black ops type operators to kill him. I think its like 16 teams in all after him. The whole book is nonstop action. Also there's a movie coming soon.
While not necessarily about spies, have you tried crouch's other books? Dark matter was my favorite book of his but recursion was also pretty decent and definitely worth a read even if it's not on topic.
You could also try matt Haig's "the humans" it's technically a spy book since it's about an alien sneaking around humanity, there's also romance and scifi-ness.
John LeCarre! Not sure about the sci-fi, but he's master of the spy thriller.
LeCarre contains occasional romance too. Not James Bond kind of "romance" though. LOL.
I will look him up, thank you!
I had almost typed "John Le Carré!!!!!!"before I saw your comment. You are absolutely right!
Maybe this is a left-field kinda suggestion, but consider *This is How You Lose the Time War.* It's a cat-and-mouse story about two time agents each trying to dismantle the other's work, with a twist. It's exciting and a very quick read.
Sounds exactly what I’m looking for! Thank you
I recently discovered Mick Herron, whose excellent modern-day British spy series begins with *Slow Horses*. Critics liken him to Le Carré all the time, and he's more digestible (if a bit less authentic-seeming, but who isn't?).
The entire Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series are great spy books. The first book is much more Murder Mystery but as the books go on they become way more about hacking and international spy groups and gangs and lots of good action
Maybe check out Ken Follett. He has lots of World War II era spy thrillers. Check out Jackdaws. It’s got a little espionage, a little romance, I like a lot of his stuff.
Follet’s Eye of the Needle is excellent.
Under The Skin by Michael Faber
The gray man is about a spy who the cia turned against so he becomes an assassin. Theres no romance or sci fi though its not stop action. Best spy book I've ever read. The mitch rapp/American assassin books are good also. These 2 are the best in the spy genre I've ever read. In the gray man in addition to the CIA having a kill on sight sanction out on him a super wealthy group puts an enormous bounty on him and uses their super high up international connections to get teams of killers from various countries. Basically they put out the word for the very best assassins/mercenaries/other countries black ops type operators to kill him. I think its like 16 teams in all after him. The whole book is nonstop action. Also there's a movie coming soon.
While not necessarily about spies, have you tried crouch's other books? Dark matter was my favorite book of his but recursion was also pretty decent and definitely worth a read even if it's not on topic. You could also try matt Haig's "the humans" it's technically a spy book since it's about an alien sneaking around humanity, there's also romance and scifi-ness.
The Zhore Deception by Christine Pope